Electric switch.



C. E. PALMER.

'I ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLIGATXON FILED MAY 3.1910,

Patented Aug. 8, 1911 3 SHEETSBHEBT l.

G. E. PALMER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY3.1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

3 `SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n uc u l'or.

:35 Hoz 112131 l! A 7m/104% G; E. PALMER. ELECTRICv SWITCH.

APPLmA'HoN FILED MAY 3,1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1.911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

risers, sf'rssss Meer sies "eselwrriiisfsi milices, or rimosse-rse MASSACHUSETTS.'

ELECTRIC `SWIM. CH.

" ecosse.

To 'all whom it moy .co/noem: Bezit known hat I, GRANYILLE E. PALMER, a citizen of" the United States, residing at lvincheste'eouvnty Midellesex, State of lilassechusetts, ,lieve invented certain new and 1 useful l Almpr-ovemenis in Electric Switches, of which ehe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invent-ion relaes lo electric switches ,10 and has .for its object to produce a' new anal improved '7elect)comagoeticclly7 controlled switch for controlling electric cireoits.

Il; further hnsyfor. its object lo procluceeh electromagn'ctically controlled switch., which een be closed by electromagnetic ineens. lt further has for iis olijecly to prox-'ide e switch with substantially ricl'ionless elec tromagneticelly conlrollei'l releasing ineens. lt further has for itsobject to proviile e simple and? efficient means for adjusting the clutch.r

The following is e description of on esohodimeiit of my invention, reei-enceheing' .had lo the accompanying drawings, in Wl1icl1- c Figure 1 is ,a plan View ofv the swiftcl'ii Fig, 2 is o. side ,elevation 5 Fier, 3 isa. verl-ical ,longitudiiml section of the switch on lvhe liuc.

www Fig. 1 g Fig. el is en end-elevation;

l* 5V is edetail View showing the clutch in open,r

` positim; Fig. 6' isesection of the clutchoiif the line Fig'. lBig.` 7 isa. (letcil'of-,bhe cas-ing for thereleasiiifg coil; Fig. 8 is afdiagra'mof circuits for remote control ,operetion' lig. 9711s .afdmgrem of crcuis'forl 1 switb, when used es'sneutomatic ovcrlofl :circuit breaker.

Referring more jmrticulerly to che fi s ings,` 1.,.is lie switch hase; is c 'gli pori; preferably of non-msgnclic siem fied by e recessed block or casing il secorc-cl tol-he base The clock 3 is prefer/wij, 'mede of magnetic materiel for the purpose s einafter stated; 'The guidel supportV I 15' carries pinS-l--lscrewed therein which poss through openings 'ine har 6 to which ere :connected iron plungers 7-7 passing into coils S-8, which coilsare surrounded by iron sheafhs 9 5) so as to loe ironclad.

"5l The plungers 'if-7 are Jfor part of their l c 'length hollow. and' contein springs Ul-10 which normally tend to mise the piuiigfers, 7-*7 enel the ber 6 connected thereo The bac 6 is provided A.with three switchk bars 55."lll-11-11. These switch. hers aire insw' Specification of Leiters Patent.

lated from the her 6. They terminate rel spectively in leaf springs' 122-42,

which, y

Potencrl Aug, 8i, 1911. Application'led May 3, 19H2. Serial No. 559,166.

l whenjthe bor 6 is depressed, engage correspending circuitermimils, 13-13. lsprings 10-10 normally tend to separate the switch arms 11 from he circuit lerminals 13, mid thus open l'he circuit. v

lo order to holdv the loer 6 depressed and yet permitof its being easily releasecLfI attach to Lshe guide support 2 an externally screvvf'ihrcoriecl slot ione-ry ahufnienl'A Ilef, hsv ing recess 15 :it its loWei` end. This abutment is preferably made in the form of a ,tube and on account of the screw thread conu nection muy be adjusted relatia'ely to the `carrier 2v and when adjusted locked in position bythe lock nut 16.

17 is e movable abutment opposed to the The ment 17 meV he, however, moved down suiii ciently so as to bring; ihe two recesses oppo-- site olie another. Between the stationery :lzhixtment M- ami the movable abutment-VHS mi inermediziie member 1S) having one or more recesses 2O anni a bell detect 2l in each recess, each gie/lent consisting preferably of a single bells' The length of each (le-lent is 'greater hmi 'the hiclness .of `the interino! `rdiete member 19 but is small enough so that ri/the delentl may he contained Within either the con'lbinerl recesses 15 and() or the combined recesses .18 .enel 2G. The recesses 15 :mel 18 are each of e depth less than arcdius of one of ille halls or" ille detects. The abutment "i" or l m 'part thereof,

' crial. ',lhc exteniirro mling the spring 5241 romifliiig lille lower emi of lic ehumeni. 12' :iy coil or soici'xoiflb which when energizerl .overcomes ille spring 241 drawing down the aholii'nem l? when the switch is closed. The solenoid 25 being in the recess inthe block 3 is iroirclacl. v

Fig. 8 sl'xows'the circuits for operating theI "device both on opening1 and closing from 'of distance. ln this ligure, 8-8-are the closing coils', 25 is the releasing coil; 2G is a'source 'of current g l' 27. is `e local circuit controller adapted to make engagement with contacts` 28 emi 2??.-

cinco ooiemagljnelic mieial.v Surf The abut I .Vhei a ciroiiiyis closed tlirough 4fthe 110 contact Q8, the coils 8 8 are energized to overcome the springs v1(110 and also the spring Q4.- and causing` the bar 5 and the switch arms 7 to move downward until the blades 12 engage the contacts 13. When the parts reach this posit-ion, the recess 1S `and the balls Q1 have been brought into a line with the recess 15. y[he movabl 1 alultment 17 is then raised by its sp1-ine' 2l causing the balls 21 to leave the recess 18 and partly enter the recess 15. continues to rise, holding` the balls Q1 in 'their ne'vv position. The intermediate portion 19 is now locked to the stationary abut;

rent 1-l since it can not be raised on account of the engagement of the halls 2l with the cavity 15 ofthe stationary abutment 1i, therrt'ore the hbar G and the switch arms 11 are held in depressed position. lf, when the parts are in lowest position, the local circuit is closed through the contact 29, the coil Q5 is energized. The spring 24 is a relatively Weak spring and `inst. strong enough to move the abutment 17, The solenoid 25 is correspondingly Weak and when energized is simply strong` enough to draw down the abutment 1T against the action of' the spring 24 but not strong enough to resist the action of the springs 10-l0. lVhen the solenoid 25 is energized by closing the local circuit at the contact 29, the abutment 1T is pulled down until the lower shoulder of the recess 1S moves below the detent 1f) so that the recess 1S comes opposite the balls 21. The intermediate member 19 then tends to rise on account of the action of the springs 10, and as it does` so, the balls 21 are forced away from the shoulder at the upper edge of recess 15 and partially into the recess 1S so-that the parts land 14 are unlocked and the parts l? and 15) are locked together. The springs 10 beingr sufiicient to overcome the pull of the magnet Q5 carry the intermediate member 19, together with the abutment 17, upward as tar as the guide pins 4: will permit, thus separating the switch arms 11 from the terminals 13 and breaking the circuit.

There itis desired to have the switchA open automatically when the load reaches z .certain point. the coil 25 is placed in series with the load as shown in Fig. 7. vWhen the coil is energized to the necessary' extdnt, the movable abutment 17 is pulled doivn until the intermediate member 19 is released. 'The coils 8 8 may be placed in multiple with the translating devices or supplied with current from any suitable source of current:

A rod or projection 30 from the movable abutment 17 may be provided for moving the same manually and thus releasing the clutch, since when the clutch is closed, it will be released when the abutment is moved into releasing position by any means.

The abutment li' One advantage of this particular form of my invention is that l am able to make the terminals 13 may be and preferably'should be spaced according to the regulation spacing of the bus-bars. The switch is compact, the su'itch arms spanning the coils 8, which are located between the terminals 12S-13. rl`he parts are-sironfby without being massive.

vThe movement on closingl and on releasing is Without serious friction. The clutch on release responds quickly to a given current. The construction is simple and not liable t0 get out of order.

My invention permits of various modifi cations of form as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The form shown, however, is in my opinion the preferable form.

What I claim is:

l. In a switch, the combination of a base, a terminal thereon, a switch arm adapted to engage said terminal and normally tending to withdraw from said terminal, a stationary abutment fixed relatively to said switch base, a movable abutment in proximity to said stationary abutment, and a movable intermediate member between said abutments carrying;- a detent, said abutments each each having cavities facing the intermediate member and adapted to receive a part of the Vdetent carried by said movable member, and' a solenoid adapted to act on said movable abutment., and a spring acting upon said movable abutment in opposition to said solenoid.

3. In a switch, the combination of a base, a terminal. thereon, a svvit'eh arm adapted to engage said terminal, means normally tending to withdraw said arm from said ter1ni nal, a stationary abutment fixed relatively to said switch base. a movable abutment in proximity to said stationary abutment, a`

movable intermediate' member between said abutments carrying a detent, said abut-l ments each having cavities facing the intermediate lnemhe and adapted tol reeeivea part of the. detent carried by said movable member, and a solenoid adapted to act on said movable abutment, a spring acting upon said movable abutment in :opposition sensei to said solenoid, and a solenoidtcnding when energized to move said switch arm into engagement with said terminals.`

4. vln a switch, the combination of a hase,

a plurality ot pairs of terminals thereon,

switch arm for each pair of terminals, a universal bar connecting said switch arms, a guide carrier having' guides for said bar, a 'clutch having; a `stationary abutment carried by said guide carrier, a movable abutment, and an intermediate member, said intermediate member being carried by said bar and carrying a detent adapted to secure the intermediate member to said abntments alternately, and means tending to. separate said-switch arms from said contacts. i

5.*ln a switch, the combination ol a base, a plurality ot pairs of `terminalsthereon, a switch arm for each pair of terminals, a universal bar connecting said switch arms, and

normally tendinar to move away from said base, so to separate said switch arms from said terminals, electromagnetic ,means 'for moving said switch arms'into engagement with said terminals, and located between said universal bar and said base, and a detent for holding said switch 'arms in engagement with said terminals, said switch arms having a rectilineal movement.

(l. ln a switch, the combination of a base, a pair of terminals thereon, a U-shaped switch arm having;l on its two branches con tact surfaces adapted to engage said terminals, respectively, a spring tendine; to withdraw said ,arm from said terminals, a solenoid located within the U-shaped switch arm and adapted to move saidswitch arm into engagement with said terminals, and a clutch adapted to hold said switch arm in engagementwith said terminals.

7. In a switch, the combination ot' ,a base, a plurality of pairs of terminals theren, a

, pl nralitv of U-shaped switch arms each having on its two branches contact surfaces adapted to engage said terminals, respectively, a bar mechanically connecting .said switch arms, spr-ings tendine' to withdraw said switch arms from said terminals, apair of solenoids between said bar and said base and located within theU-shaped switch arms, and :idaptedlwhen energized to move said bar toward said base so as to cause said arms to engage said terminals, and a clutch adapted to hold said switch arms in engagement with said terminals.

S. ln a switch, the combination ot a base, terminals thereon, movable contacts adapted to engage Saidterminals, a pair of closingr solonoids adapted when energized to canse said contacts to engage lsaid terminals, springs tending 'to withdraw said contacts `trom said terminals, a releasing ysolenoidlo 'atedy between said closing` solenoi'ds, a clutch in' lino with said'releasingsolenoid consisting ot' a stationary,fabntm'en' y a terminal thereon, a switch arm adapted to' engage said terminal and normally tending to withdraw from said terminal two op- -posed abutment members, and an intermedi- 'ate men'iber, one ot saidabntment members being independently' movable relatively to said switch arm and to said base, another ot said, three members being stationary relatively to said base, and the third being connected to said switch arm, so as to move therewith, a detent carried by said intermediate member, said abutment vmembers havingl recesses'tor partially. receiving said detent, said independently movable abutment member tending to move in one direc-` ti m,'\nd a solenoid acting when energized to move ber in the opposite direction, one ort said movements of said independently movable abutment member beingsuch as to bring its recess into line with said detent when said detent is partially within the recess in said ,l other abutment member,

10. In a switch, the combination of a hase, a terminal thereon, a switch arm adapted to engage said terminal and normally tending to withdraw `from said terminal two opposed abnt'ment members, and an intermediate member, one of'said abutment memd independently movable members being independent-ly movable relatively to said switch arm and 'to said base, another ot said three members being' stationaryrelatively to said base, and the third being' connected to said switch arm, so as to move therewith, a detent carried by said intermediate member, said abutment. members having recesses Atoi? partially receiving' said drtent, a spring),r actingF on said independently movable abutment. member and tending` to move it so as to bring); its recess out. ot aline' ment with said detent when said recess and detent are 1n line with the recess vin the other abutment, and a solenoid acting; when' engage said terminala-nd normally tending to withdraw fromsaid terminal, two opposed abutment members and an intermediate member, one of said abutment members being' independently movable relatively Ato l said switch arm and to said base, another ot said three members beinfrstationary relatively to said base, and the third beine; connected' to said switch `arm so as to move therewith, a'dete1its^ xirri.ed bysaid intermediate member, said abutment members having shoulders for engaging parts of sind (lelent, said inilepenilently movable :ibutment member tending to move in one direction, und :i Solenoid acting when energized le move Suid independently movable :ibutnient member in the opposite direction, one of said niovenien'rg of said independently nmvzlble abutment member being Such as te nieve its Shoulder 'away from Said detent; ILJ

when said deten in engagement with the shoulder of seid other abutment.

GRANVILLE E. PALMER. Witnesses A. B. BROWNELL, IDA M. HUNZIKER. 

